Dark Reminiscence
by nonowriting
Summary: Adopted from Hentai18ancilla,Iruka is not as kind as he portrays himself to be, and Naruto has fallen into his insiduous trap. Now he is lost in a world of dark intentions and hidden secrets. Shota,N/C,YAOI. Eventual Naruto/Gaara
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, this is nonowriting, and I have adopted this wonderful story from hentai18ancilla. I'm putting down chapters 1-8 that hentai18ancilla wrote, and I'll tell you up here if I changed anything. This chapter is unchanged.**

**~nonowriting**

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A/n: This will have non-consenual shota and is yaoi. If you don't like don't read, no one's making you. As for me I never trusted Iruka. This is how the story really goes according to me.

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**Prologue**

It was the insinuation of desire, the furtive looks, the heated glances, that all lead Naruto to conclude that he was in way over his head. He could feel the latent expectation of Iruka as he stalked predatorily over to him, as his hand glazed over his shoulder 'accidentally' and pulled him closer to his muscular body that was scarred and aged.

He could feel the hardness that poked his bottom every time he twitched in Iruka's lap, the strong hands that held him shackled in place, and the desire coursing through the normally placid brown eyes now shining with strange intensity, the wicked of gleam of malcontent that sent shudders racking down his spine.

He was scared; the kind of fear that left you immobilized in the certainty that there was no escape, and yet you still wanted to try to flee knowing it was futile. He had understood far too late the true meaning of Iruka's kindness, his sudden interest in him. Now it was far too late to run.

He should have known better, but he had been starving and the promise of Ramen had been far too great.

Food, he hadn't eaten in two weeks and it was all he could to drink non-contaminated water that hadn't been poisoned by any villagers, and when he could afford to buy food Ramen was the cheapest thing he could pay for and even though the stand owner didn't like him and charged him a bit more than other customers it wasn't rotten and he wasn't paying ten times the regular amount so he kept returning.

Hunger had clouded his mind and he had put on that sappy smile on his face and blathered on about matters of no consequence, and had hoped to leave with a belly full of food.

He had not counted on being tricked by his benefactor, he had foolishly let his guard down, and now he would have to summon the strength to survive through another night of hell.

It wasn't like this was the first time someone had tricked or used him and it wouldn't be the last, but someday he would strong enough to escape.

And he'd never look back.

"Naruto…" whispered Iruka tenderly in a kind fatherly tone, "_let's play a game_…"

For now, he was trapped and there was no escape.

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Ja ne! This will be multi-chap

Dani.


	2. Realizations

**Ch. 2, slightly changed to make just a little more sense and fill in some plot holes.**

**~nonowriting**

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_Not speaking of the way,_

_Not thinking of what comes after, _

_Not questioning name or fame, _

_Here, loving love, _

_You and I look at each other._

Yosano Akiko (1878-1942)

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**Chapter 1: Realizations**

Naruto woke up with the feeling of an unfortunately familiar backache that throbbed incessantly or maybe that was his head when he had decided to be brave and try to fight Iruka and had ended up with a knot the size of a basketball on his forehead.

Opening his eyes he noticed that he was in a clean bed this time, usually he woke up naked in an alley or trash can so this was an improvement. Hopefully he would be able to make a clean getaway without any problems.

Now if he could only summon the energy to move despite the pain…

Bracing himself, he tried to get off the bed, only to finally notice a hairy arm wrapped securely around his waist. Trying to untangle himself before Iruka woke up and did Kami-knows-what to him, he was startled out of his depressing thoughts by a rough, impatient voice.

"Settle down." It was an order not a question and so he lay back down naked and uncomfortable between the sheets wishing he had not followed his stomach for once.

He wondered when Iruka would let him leave, since he knew that eventually he would grow tired of him and release him back out into the streets. The longest he had been held captive was by a one eyed-pedo that kept him locked up in his garish basement cosplaying for him for two week straight. After he finally got out he made sure to avoid the silver haired pervert. He had been so damaged that even with Kyuubi's healing abilities he couldn't walk for over a month. Thankfully Iruka seemed like a one nighter. Maybe he would take him again in the morning or maybe he didn't want to let go of him yet because he was comfy, but soon he would be free if only temporarily. Calming down, he tried to ignore his present situation and think about what food he would like to eat if he could.

His stomach growled loudly waking Iruka up once more and he wondered if he could escape without receiving a beating this time.

"Go make breakfast after you clean up, and put on something decent. " Ordered Iruka callously turning away to go back to sleep.

Not even questioning why Naruto leapt to obey, or at least gave the appearance to. Instead he ran out the back door, grabbing his clothes and putting them on, limping all the way until he was safe inside the sanctuary of the forest. Sure wild wolves could probably take a chunk out of him but he felt immeasurably safer than when he was in town suffocating from the killing intent being directed at him.

He was weak and malnourished and hardly strong enough to put up a fight but in the wild he could out think an animal and live. He would just have to make it by eating flowers and whatever he could scrounge up. After he had sufficiently recovered, he would return to the village, but he still ached and running hadn't helped any.

He had no idea what else Iruka had been up to and he was glad he hadn't stayed to find out. He just wished everyone would leave him alone! They called him demon but they were the ones who would torture and harm an innocent five year old, they were the ones who attacked him. He honestly did not think that they sincerely believed in their heart of hearts that he was the Kyuubi No Yoko, because if they did they would fear him and leave him alone.

Instead they attacked him at any given opportunity, maliciously, and with misplaced vengeance. He was just their helpless scapegoat and the evil old man did nothing to stop the beatings, nor the rapes, and had even deducted his allowance. Not that he could buy anything since everyone refused to sell to him or overcharged their prices and gave him rotten poisoned food.

They were the reason he had an emotional mask to wear non-stop. Soon, someday he would escape this village.

The whole place could go to hell, how he wished he could just leave, but no they wanted to make sure the Kyuubi was under their control.

Assholes.

Someday he would escape this hateful village and find someplace better, someplace that didn't want him dead. Someplace where he could, maybe, just maybe, find someone who cared about him.

Dozing off hidden by the shrubbery he finally relaxed knowing that he was safe for the moment.

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What do you think? I'm thinking of Iruka adopting him but not for pure purposes.

-Dani.


	3. Bartering

**Chapter changed minutely.**

**~nonowriting

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A/N: This is just a request, go to youtube and write, "Léa Castel feat Hadja - Tu verras tu verras, tu verras" into the Search. I think it just goes with the chapter.

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I am naught but a leaf cast astray,

Listless and pawned.

As I follow where the wind commands,

And die bit by bit.

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**Chapter 2: Bartering**

Naruto sat stiffly in an ornamental armchair, hands tracing and scratching at the designs that were so carefully sewn.

Blank blue eyes tried to focus on the garish vermillion chair, on the bright crimson color as red as his blood…

This wasn't happening.

_It could be happening!_

Oji-san would never betray him like that, would never be so uncaring…

He'd never-

"Naruto!" yelled the Sandaime annoyed, "Will you stop squeezing the arm rest? You're breaking it."

Naruto looked up at Sarutobi, startled, then lowered his head with a mumbled, "Sorry," and stilled his hand.

Smiling thinly the Sandaime glanced at Iruka relieved that he hadn't changed his mind, "Now you do realize that after you sign those papers Naruto will be your responsibility and that you can't take him back, right?"

"That's fine Hokage-sama," Iruka assured the Hokage blithely while devouring Naruto with his eyes, the delicious peachy skin, the long golden eyelashes, the round and smooth bottom…

"I see." The Hokage stated, while his calculating eyes took in the scene before him. Iruka would completely remove Naruto and all the paper work he brought with him, it might not have been a very altruistic reason but at least Naruto would only have to deal with Iruka. Besides, it was the best he could do. It was for the greater good, for Konoha. And if Naruto got out of hand Iruka would probably eliminate him since his parents were slaughtered by the Kyuubi. Problem solved.

"Well here are the papers, you are doing a great service to Konoha and I will augment your salary so that it is three times more than what you have received as well as give you Naruto's monthly stipend for taking care of him." The Hokage bartered, trying to insure that Iruka did not change his mind or back out for any reason. He had never been able to get rid of Naruto before, no one had wanted to adopt Naruto, not even Danzo wanted him for his army of drones.

"I'm sure Hokage-sama!" Iruka replied, smiling a mile a minute, and with a flourish finished signing the papers.

"Naruto, it's time to go, I'm your new guardian." Iruka said gently, holding out his hand for Naruto to take, holding out his hand as if to mark the beginning of a new journey.

And maybe it was.

Naruto took his hand, because in the end, he really didn't have a choice.

Turning around one last time to look the Hokage in the eye Naruto said simply, "Good bye Hokage-sama."

It was respectful, it was cold, it said a million things and left even more unsaid.

"Bye Naruto-kun," the Sandaime replied kindly, as if he was ignorant of the true meaning of Naruto's formality, a grandfatherly façade firmly on his face.

It was needless since Naruto no longer watched, no longer believed in his supposed kindness.

He had been disillusioned, and it was then that Naruto's last hope in humanity died, that his heart grew cold and implacable.

He would no longer believe.

Outside the villagers milled about, the wives bustled with their baby carriages, shopping for groceries, ninjas leapt from roofs, and genins squabbled about corny missions as they passed by the road.

But for Naruto the world had stopped and he was lost in a dark endless abyss. He didn't want to think, to feel.

He wanted to pretend that everything was fine, that nothing was going to happen to him, that everything was going to be okay.

"Naruto-kun," Iruka called joyously, a malicious smile stretched on his ugly plain face, the hideous scar highlighted prominently.

"H-Hai?" Naruto asked softly, his voice laden and weary.

"Come inside…" Iruka beckoned, eyes shining with lust and barely hidden desire.

Naruto acquiesced, and for some reason, he felt he had it better before when he was homeless.

The door closed with marked finality.

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Terms:

Oji-san/ old man

-sama/ when you are being formal, and respectful added to a title or name

Kyuubi/ nine

Kitsune/fox

**[I had a stupid moment before and wrote the wrong definition before, please correct me if I make anymore in the future]

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Should I continue this?

-Dani.


	4. Kernels of Doubt

**I added another section in Naruto's point of view, and only changed one word in the original.**

**~nonowriting

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Listen to Xavier Naidoo, "Brief" from youtube.

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My soul lives in my body's house,

And you have both the house and her—

But sometimes she is less your own

Than a wild, gay adventurer;

A restless and an eager wraith,

How can I tell what she will do—

Oh, I am sure of my body's faith,

But what if my soul broke faith with you?

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Chapter 3: Kernels of Doubt

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He wasn't what I expected.

I never saw a glimmer of the demon that I saw the night my parents died but that did not mean I trusted him.

Except that a shadow of doubt had wormed itself into his heart and he couldn't be as callous as before in the face of all that tarnished innocence.

He could see himself in the child, the lonely ostracized child, the child without any help from everyone.

The outcast.

Even today no one truly accepts him into the scions of Konoha. He wasn't a particularly great ninja nor was he very bad. He was just average, just regular, just overlooked.

That and he never had any interest to advance beyond chunin.

Jounin and Chunin had the exact same pay except the Jounins risked their lives more. If you made it to ANBU that was where your pay doubled but at the same time every mission carried the possibility of your death, and after you made it to ANBU you couldn't get out until you were to feeble or injured beyond repair.

Like Kakashi and Hayate.

Everyone who made it to ANBU were scarred beyond belief, and he wasn't talking about those ragged impressions left on the skin. If one wanted to most scars could be removed by the medic-nin.

He kept his scar even though it deformed his face to remember why he never wanted to rise above chunin, a constant reminder of how he almost died fighting an ANBU from Kumo.

It wasn't worth it.

He wasn't the most patriotic of persons and he wasn't willing to die for Konoha at the drop of a hat, his family hadn't dedicated itself to Konoha for years, and he wasn't a blind puppet to the Hokage.

He was just himself; a man without a mission and who was just letting life pass him by.

And now he had saddled himself with a child who would stare at him with the saddest most beautiful blue eyes that he had ever seen.

That was how it all started.

He'd let his dick think for him and had followed the smooth contours of Naruto's peachy skin, the dusky coral nipples, and slim curvy physique to speak for itself.

Now he didn't want to let him go.

It wasn't that he loved the child or even liked him but Naruto had somehow become _his._

Somewhere in between making his coffee in the morning and taking care of his most base needs at night he had become attached to Naruto.

To the beautiful child that had such tragic eyes, eyes that spoke of misery and sadness.

To those bruised red lips that would swallow him whole, to those delicate fingers that would tread through his hair and tie it simply.

Suddenly it wasn't enough to have Naruto physically, he wanted to see Naruto smile for him, to see those eyes shimmer with joy.

To claim Naruto's soul as well, to make Naruto irrevocably his.

No, he never wanted to let Naruto go, not because of some trite emotion called love or whatever but because he was selfish.

Naruto was too experienced for him to have been his first, to blasé about sex for him to be even among his firsts, and it galled him to think that someone else had seen what he had- touched that impossibly soft skin, pressed kisses on those vulnerable plump lips that begged to be kissed.

Felt that deliciously hot, tight passage constrict on their cock.

No, he had adopted Naruto, and for now he didn't want to let him go. Naruto was like a beautiful doll around him; going through the motions but not really there.

For some reason he wanted those eyes to shine for him, he no longer wanted Naruto to bleed when he took him, no longer wanted to injure that soft peachy skin and leave it blotchy with bruises.

He wanted Naruto to be more than a beautiful doll; he wanted Naruto without his stupid mask, without that grotesque smile stretched across those curled lips, with blank dead eyes.

He wanted too much he knew, but maybe slowly he could make Naruto smile again, the way he smiled when a cat brushed against him, or when it rained outside.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

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He was just like I expected.

And yet, in some ways, not. I know, he's using me, but sometimes, I could catch him looking at me with a sort of need in his eyes. The first time, I thought it was lust, but when Iruka made no move to do anything sexual, I thought again. It was possessive, certainly, with a want and a sadness present as well.

It made him wonder.

Could humans be good? He wasn't certain. Maybe, just maybe…

But then Iruka would pull him into bed, make him bleed. He would hurt him for wearing that mask. He would call him a demon. And Naruto would remind himself of the Sandaime, of the false kindness and grandfatherly mask that had deceived him for so long.

And he'd tell himself that no one in the village could ever love him.

And he'd again look to the horizon and wish to escape.

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Poem by Sara Teasdale

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A/N: I really don't have much time to write this week or the next because I have to write over 50 pages in French for a final project and my French isn't really good. This doesn't mean that I won't update, just that it's going to take a while. ^_~ I will try to update this Saturday.


	5. Unseeing

**Added a paragraph.**

**~nonowriting

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Listen to Ricardo Montaner, "Honda," on youtube.

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_And so he came,_

_As if on a lark-_

_Standing overbearing._

_A quick grimace,_

_Tied on his lips-_

_I glanced away ashamed._

_He called my name,_

_I tread the swollen ground-_

_I turned askance._

_It was as I'd foreseen,_

_Harsh and glaring.

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**Chapter 4: Unseeing**

Iruka was acting weird and it only made Naruto more skittish.

"Would you like a raspberry muffin, Naruto?" Iruka asked kindly as he grabbed his coffee cup and put it on the kitchen table.

Definitely weird.

He made his own coffee and was offering him sweets, was he trying to poison him?

If so he was too late- he'd already become immune to most poisons.

"So yes or no?" Iruka questioned yet again, with a smile on his thin avaricious lips.

He couldn't process his response; it was against everything he'd come to expect, where was the unbridled anger, the lust?

He didn't understand and it was freaking him out.

"Naruto?" Iruka called gently.

Slowly Iruka bent down and moved his hand to caress Naruto gently on his cheek but he flinched.

"WHAT!" he screamed, the tension breaking away his carefully wrought control. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!"

"Don't talk back to me Demon!" Iruka grit out after slapping him on the same cheek he'd tried to caress a moment before.

Strangely, that relaxed Naruto.

This unfounded hatred he could understand, the dark lust evidenced in Iruka's angry eyes that spoke more than his false words of pleasantry.

This he could accept, and in doing so he became emotionless, he went to that safe corner inside his mind where no one could intrude where he wouldn't be hurt.

His body relaxed, tense muscles easing their strenuous hold because it hurt more when he resisted and he healed slower.

That's right, remember, in this village there is no love, never for him. He warned himself about getting attached, but he allowed himself to become comfortable with Iruka, so when he started to tell him lies, when he simply oozed with false love, he had let his emotionless mask slip. He couldn't do that, that mask was the only one he had left, the mask of happiness had been beaten out of him long ago.

Calmly he waited for more violence but there was none.

"I'm sorry Naruto I didn't mean to hit you or call you a Demon," Iruka interrupted him from his inquietude, "I don't think you are the Kyuubi."

Naruto was not buying it; he'd believe that the day the villagers stopped beating him up on his birthday or the Sandaime tried to come before he got beat up instead of showing up when he was about to die.

Adults lied to children and took advantage of them, children were defenseless against these mental and physical attacks.

One day he wouldn't be a child anymore, one day he'd be free.

Or maybe a diligent villager would finally succeed and he could die and be at peace.

Either way was fine.

"Naruto!" Iruka gasped, stretching his arms out to him beseechingly, "I do care about you!"

Naruto turned away he couldn't stand to watch such hypocrisy.

Before he'd been more naïve he'd trusted such beautiful kind words, believed in them.

Only to be betrayed and end up bleeding to death in a ditch.

"Naruto look at me!" Pleaded Iruka sadly.

Disillusioned blue eyes turned apathetically towards him, frighteningly emotionless.

"Trust me…" begged Iruka, grasping Naruto to him desperately, pulling him closer as if Naruto would disappear.

Blank eyes remained unchanged, only becoming harder and colder.

"What have I done?" Iruka asked the overbearing silence.

Naruto remained unresisting in his arms; slim arms slack, his face impassive.

Not resisting but not returning the attempted gesture of affection.

He was just like a doll.

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I kind of forgot about this story, but someone put it on alert and it showed up on my e-mail. Funny how it happened. Don't have much time, gomen!

-Dani.


	6. Broken Doll

**Added a small section for Naruto.**

**~nonowriting**

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Disclaimer: All I own are whimsical notions that I shall not see to fruition. Song from David Usher.

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A/N: I'm on break, but I felt I had to write some. Thanks for rev. even when I said gave the story up. This is just a onetime thing. Listen to David Usher - Black Black Heart on youtube.

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_Something ugly this way comes _

_Through my fingers sliding inside _

_All these blessings all these burns _

_I'm godless underneath your cover _

_Search for pleasure search for pain _

_In this world now I am undying_

_

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**Chapter 5: Reality Unknown**

Despite the fact that he knew that Naruto was repulsed every time he touched him, he couldn't stop. Naruto had become his addiction, his desire, and only thought. He still felt the need for intimacy with the boy but knew better than to push, he didn't want to make Naruto even more emotionless.

He wanted to make Naruto whole again and had refrained from having sex with him but that had not stopped him from wrapping his arms around the delicate shell of a boy until their hearts beat in unison. Sometimes he could even convince himself that Naruto wanted to be there, with him, and that he loved him.

"Is there anything you want Naruto?" Iruka asked as he got ready to head out to market. He had to do the shopping since everyone in the damned village thought of Naruto as a demon and would overcharge him for rotten products. At least Naruto was a good cook Iruka thought with a slight smile on his face as he watched his beloved blonde mechanically turn on the stove and start heating up some Udon Noodles. Sometimes he wondered if things were better when Naruto used to have that fake macabre smile plastered on his face despite whatever emotional trauma he had undergone.

He had made Naruto lose his mask, thinking the 'demon' was mocking him. Now he would give anything for a smile, even a fake one.

"Umino-san breakfast is ready to be served." Naruto informed him tonelessly without a hint of anger or happiness, dull blue eyes utterly apathetic.

"Arigato Naruto!" chirped Iruka, trying, without progress, to make Naruto react to anything. Hopefully positive reinforcement would work eventually.

Naruto didn't reply and merely served him carefully being cautious to avoid all contact with him. Iruka wanted to touch his smooth golden skin, kiss those plump pale pink lips, and make those dull eyes glimmer with passion. He had no delusions though that Naruto wouldn't see it that way and contented himself with 'accidentally' brushing his finger tips against Naruto's unnaturally soft skin.

It was another strange phenomena, Naruto always healed perfectly, marks and blemishes gone after a couple of hours at most.

He was as perfect as a doll.

"Are you excited about starting in the academy today?" Iruka asked Naruto who remained as unresponsive as before, long blond hair neatly brushed to immaculate perfection and left to hang loose to his waist in waves of iridescent gold.

"Hai." Answered Naruto, his response as bland as before and as meaningless. There was a time when Naruto would have made a racket, or insulted him but he beat it out of him. He no longer talked back or argued about anything really.

He allowed Iruka to wash him every day like he would a coveted child, and then dress him in pretty kimonos more suited for girls than boys but Naruto never complained, he took it all with silence, his eyes observing every single action with sharp cold blue eyes that saw everything but accepted nothing. They were old eyes, eyes that had seen a lot and suffered, and then seemed to sink into apathy and cynicism.

It was like he no longer cared, as if he were going through the motions of living and his body was the only thing that tied him to the mortal world.

Iruka wished Naruto would do something, even if it was to demonstrate how much he hated him; he just wanted an honest response. Carefully, he lifted a hand to gently caress Naruto left cheek, and felt saddened when he noticed that Naruto still flinched small as the action was.

How he wished that he never hit Naruto, never made him cower in fear of him like the other base people.

What if he hadn't called him demon that day? Would it have changed anything? Or would things have remained the same?

Naruto remained motionless underneath his palm, eyes turned away from him, still like a lifeless doll his breath held in his tension ridden body.

"Naruto look at me I don't hate you anymore, please believe me, and believe that just because a lot of people in this village don't like you that this means that you won't be able to make any friends at the academy." Iruka pressed, his arms wrapping around Naruto's slim waist and holding his frail body against his own listening to the fast beating of Naruto's heart, like a captive bird trying to escape and wished that Naruto could relax completely in his presence.

He wished for many things now in his latter years but that would not change a thing. In the beginning he had become Naruto's caretaker for this exact purpose, to kill the light in his eyes, to torture him for every imagined wrong. He never knew he would regret his hasty actions done with little forethought but now he did. He loved Naruto, his golden child, a love that veered from parental to lust but love all the same.

He just hoped it wasn't too late to mend this bridge with the petite blonde that was trying not to push away from his grasp. Someday he'd make Naruto see reason, someday.

And then he'd freely claim those rose petal lips that called to him, that made him want to ravish the blonde all over again and-

A softly gasped "Iie…" brought him from his musings into frightened blue eyes, and sometimes he wished Naruto wasn't so damn expressive.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I forgot myself, it won't happen again." Iruka said with a kind reassuring smile meant to calm Naruto.

It didn't.

"May I go now? Class will start soon, I have no wish to be late." Naruto said barely above a whisper, swollen red lips standing out against his suddenly pallid countenance.

Sometimes Iruka wondered if his patience was worth it.

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He doesn't care for me. I know it, but I cannot completely relax in his arms, like I should to make my mask perfect. The mask of a doll, perfect and lifeless. Despite the years passing, I can't completely perfect it.

I would prefer to have the old Iruka back, the one who hated me outright. He didn't try and lie with these pretty words.

He didn't make me wish that those words were real.

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_As I begin to lose my grip _

_On these realities your sending _

_Taste your mind and taste your sex _

_I'm naked underneath your cover _

_Covers lie and we will bend and borrow_

_With the coming sign_

_The tide will take the sea will rise and time will rape_


	7. A Loss of Inner Peace

**Unchanged. ~nonowriting

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_Of all animals the boy is the most unmanageable, in as much as he has the fountain of reason in him not yet regulated._

(Plato (c. 427-347 B.C.), Greek philosopher. Protagoras)

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**Chapter 6: Ponderings**

Naruto stared at the nearly empty classroom, apparently he wasn't as late as he thought. Or maybe he was in the wrong room since no one would truly help the 'demon child' if they could. Glancing subtly around he ascertained that he was in the right classroom. Children that he'd seen briefly in the streets playing around were sitting impatiently waiting for their first day of school to begin.

What naïve fools they were, their worlds revolving around what new game they could play, or something they seen at Konoha theater that was more exciting than something else they done. None of these squabbling children had lost their innocence like he had, had to fear for their lives every day or had numerous assassination attempts on their lives.

It annoyed him that he would have to hide his strength but at the same time compared to an adult he was weak. The blasted fox only gave him superior healing-which was a godsend for a ninja-but that was nothing compared to how many fractured bones he'd had or for how long he'd suffered from malnutrition. Already it was obvious to him that he was shorter than all the males and half the girls.

And despite this he was labeled as a threat? What the hell did they expect him to do, sprout horns or something? But then again the villagers were never afraid to attack him so maybe they knew on some level he was not a threat. Stupid effin' idiots.

"Move out of my way _Demon_." A cold aristocratic voice demanded to his right.

He turned around and met black slate eyes that bored into him with unfounded hatred. Well that answered another question of whether these ignorant children would follow their parents propaganda. How insightful.

Naruto decided to ignore the Uchichatard with the proud red emblem and continue his quiet ponderings. Even if he switched seats someone else would probably find his presence offensive and that was too much of a hassle. He would need to establish himself somewhat if he wanted to be left alone, if wanted to survive. These were just kids, he had some time before they became as troublesome as their parents and the villagers.

Still, it was going to be a long day. Some part of him didn't want to face yet another hurdle in his already bleak life but he knew he'd have to.

Demon, he'd been objectified as a demon. The question remained, should he become that which he was typified as or try to prove his innocence?

_"...Oka-san said to stay away from that thing..." _whispered someone across the classroom.

Then again why should he prove anything? He'd rather just escape and live without constant fear and disgust. As he mulled this over he was startled when he fell down suddenly unto the floor, his golden hair falling softly on the ground with him in thick coils that nearly tripped him had he not regained his balance.

"Hn." Smirked Sasuke sitting stoically on his aforementioned seat.

Naruto glanced at the gloating Uchicha and turned away, some things were not worth fighting over and he'd had worse, much worse. Who cares about a seat? If only that was the only thing he'd have to face...if only...


	8. Forgotten Language

**Added a paragraph. ~nonowriting

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_Once I spoke the language of the flowers,_

_Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,_

_Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,_

_And shared a conversation with the housefly in my bed._

_Once I heard and answered all the questions of the crickets,_

_And joined the crying of each falling dying flake of snow,_

_Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . . _

_How did it go?_

_How did it go?_

_

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**Chapter 8: Forgotten Language**

"Naruto, answer the question, or were you not paying attention?" Mizuki smirked maliciously glaring at the beautifully composed blonde who sat sedately in his desk taking notes.

Naruto glanced away from his vile instructor and debated on whether or not he should answer. On the other hand if expected to realistically graduate as genin with everyone stacked against him he would have to demonstrate _some_ skill and being intelligent seemed safer than being strong shinobi-wise. They should not view him as a threat. If they saw him as a studious but clumsy bookworm so much the better.

"The political divide that separated Mist and Waterfall during the Meji Restoration Era came about from merchant infractions and tariffs that had been miscalculated among those belonging to Mist. Due to these unforeseen circumstances and a massacre caused by a powerful bloodline user Waterfall completely separated itself from the ninja realm and is only involved with commerce and trade contemporaneously although they still maintain stilted relations with Mist." Naruto replied wondering if he sounded too well informed. He wanted to come off as intelligent not a prodigy in the making.

"Hmpf!" snorted Mizuki belligerently completely dismissing what Naruto had said and moving on with the lesson although not disproving what he had said.

Thank Inari that no one was kicking up a fuss over it. Naruto had many skills; he was an excellent thief, slut, cook, gardener, and housemaid. In fact he'd probably pass the konoichi class with little effort if they tested him on Seduction. He was grateful that Shinobi did not go through that, at least he thought they didn't. He really needed to work on his chakra control if he intended to make three passable bunshins. He had already played around with the seals needed to form a powerful henge and he noticed that using more chakra on a seal helped him successfully complete the transformation because it balanced his overwhelming chakra. He had never been able to contact the Kyuubi, this made him wonder if he had been sealed with his unfathomable power or if when he matured he would be in contact with the fearsome fox. Either way Naruto still had a lot to learn and to develop if he wanted to change his substandard of living to a better one.

Too escape.

"Wake up _dobe."_ Sasuke hissed in his ear with rising discontentment.

Naruto turned around to face the annoying brat and was startled to meet black assessing eyes that looked him over like a vulture would carrion. Disgustingly intriguing. Exactly the situation he would like to avoid. He turned away and paid attention to Mizuki's boring droning voice on chakra paths.

"**Don't ignore** **me** **dobe**." It was said in a whispered undertone nevertheless Naruto heard it just fine and felt the rough lips slide tauntingly from nipping his ear to demanding licking his neck.

Unfortunately, this had been a common occurrence since the Uchiha turned twelve. Although he was only eleven, that didn't seem to matter to the Uchiha. Or anyone, really.

Back to the present, he felt Sasuke's demanding mouth on him, repulsing. This was not acceptable. He had to get away, fast, before the situation escalated anymore. Pretending to drop his pencil he practically threw it as far away as he could and sat beside the kowaii bug boy everyone feared and stayed away from. Maybe they'd stay away from him too. Carefully he picked up his pencil and sat beside the only seat left and hoped that the boy wouldn't get too offended by his presence.

He was greatly relieved to find that the boy only gave him a fleeting look and an indifferent "Hn," before turning away.

Divine intervention or what? Now with the Uchichatard taken care of he was allowed to relax until he felt a Monarch butterfly land on his nose and flutter there.

It was beautiful with bright orange wings it shown like fireflies on esper and to him they symbolized freedom. They could fly on ginger-sooted wings and escape when they wanted. It was the color of the rising sun, filled with hope and Esperance.

It was everything he was not.

Still, tentatively he allowed his hand to reach out and was startled when it calmly perched there. Happiness bloomed in his heart, oh how he wished he could be this butterfly.

Free, ever so free.

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Kowaii: scary

Poem by Shel Silverstein


	9. The Flower's Stem

**So, this is the first chapter that I will be doing all on my own. I hope you forgive my crappy grammar, and leave me a fantastical review so that I know whether I need to continue or just give up. I have decided that this will be an eventual Gaara/Naruto pairing. Which means yaoi. Lots of delicious yaoi! ;D you, my readers, will have to tell me if you don't like the pairing I chose! I kind of want two reviews for this chapter. I hope you can manage that, because it's very likely that I won't be updating until you have enough time to write a lot more than two reviews! I've started high school, so I'm way overloaded with stuff. I'll try and update faster, and I'm way sorry for making y'all wait so long. Without futher adue, The story! ~nonowriting

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The butterfly is a flying flower,

The flower a tethered butterfly.

~Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun

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Chapter 9: The Flower's Stem

Iruka is happy. More than happy. Overjoyed. Estastic. His Naruto, his little doll, has finally chosen something himself! Of course, Iruka mused, he probably shouldn't be so happy that Naruto picked out a kimono when he asked him to. But he was. His Naruto chose a beautiful orange kimono, with small butterflies all over. Iruka dressed him up in the silky fabric, silently glad of the contact with his Naruto's soft tanned skin, despite how tense it was whenever he was near.

"You look beautiful, Naruto." Iruka said.

And he did look beautiful, with his long hair pulled into a ponytail and falling down his back, the orange and black butterflies on the kimono almost seemed to flutter when he walked. The kimono was a battle kimono, made for easy access to the sword that usually hung from the belt tying it closed. The sleeves weren't too long, but long enough to give a look of elegance.

"Good luck today. You practiced your bunshin?"

"Yes sir." Naruto replied. He had finally gotten it down last night. He just had to have almost no chakra to pull it off. After all, his reserves were a lot bigger than Iruka's. It was no wonder he couldn't do a bunshin properly. Luckily, with Iruka getting him books out of the library and occasionally helping, he managed to get to where his chakra control wasn't absolutely horrendous.

"Good. You should do fine." Iruka replied, anticipating the graduation day. Maybe his Naruto would smile, just a little. He almost couldn't stand the thought, to see those sweet, cherry-red lips smile at him, just for him…

"May I have my sword, Iruka-san?" The soft voice of his beloved cut through Iruka's mental wanderings.

'And good thing too,' Iruka thought, 'with what happened last time.'

"Certainly, Naruto." He replied, moving to get Naruto's sword from their bedroom. Iruka looked at the bed, and at his Naruto's cot from across the room. He sighed, remembering the days when there was no cot, and his Naruto slept with him… He shook his head.

'No, Iruka. Remember your promise? You have to be patient. Think about your Naruto, smiling only for you. Eventually, he'll climb into your bed on his own.'

Smiling at the thought, Iruka grabbed the sword from under his bed. He knows it's silly, and that his Naruto wouldn't go anywhere anyway, but Iruka always keeps his Naruto's sword underneath his bed. Some insurance, you might say, so that he knows he won't leave.

The sword was truly beautiful, with a sheath decorated in waves, and a dolphin decorating the hilt with Iruka's name on one side and Naruto's on the other. The sword was a gift from Iruka to Naruto, in celebration of finishing Hayate's—rather expensive—classes. It was also another way of laying claim on his Naruto, making sure that the world knew that Naruto was **his.**

Iruka bent down and tied the sword onto the belt holding his Naruto's kimono closed. He noticed the tenseness of his Naruto, but ignored it, hoping it would go away eventually.

"Come on, we're going to be late!" Iruka said, and they both started walking to the academy.

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**~Time skip~**

Naruto sat in his usual seat, the window on the left and Shino on the right. The window he sat next to overlooked the lawn, providing a constant stream of sunlight that cast Naruto in an almost heavenly light, shining off his hair and making his eyes seem much brighter than they were. It almost made him look alive, and both of Naruto's stalkers imagined seeing those eyes shine, one in love and the other in lust.

Naruto himself, however, patiently awaited his turn for the test. He knew it would be awhile yet, but he continually made his preparations. Although he had drained his chakra the night before, he still had about half-full reserves. So, taking a sheet of paper in his hands, he concentrated on levitating it.

This was an extremely advanced chakra control exercise, and positively drained chakra. As such, it was perfect for today.

Finally, as he continued levitating the paper under the desk so as not to bring attention to himself, he heard Iruka call out, "Uzumaki, Naruto."

Letting the paper flutter down, Naruto stood and walked to the small adjoining room where the exam was held. As he walked in, he noticed Mizuki-sensei walking out the door on the other side of the room.

"Coffee." Iruka explained as Naruto walked to the center of the room. Naruto nodded. He quickly did the bunshin, henge and kawarami.

"Good job. I'll see you at home." Naruto nodded again and walked out, grabbing a black hitai-ate.

**~Time Skip~

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Naruto sat meditating at a secluded clearing in the forest. Although there was a small shed that sat in the clearing, he hadn't seen anyone ever come here. He came here often, finding the peacefulness of the forest a good training atmosphere.

Naruto concentrated fiercly on his meditating, searching for the Kyuubi. He assumed it would be somewhere in him, and he should be able to reach it. So he attempted to find the demon, searching his brain. As he did, he never noticed the silver hair that flashed in the forest around him, the eyes that stared at him with an evil gleam, or the fuma shurikan that irrupted from the bushes behind him until it was too late, and he was hit.

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**I have a rather large request for my audeance. I need quotes, poems, anything you can think of! If you submit a quote or poem and I use it, I will put up a link to your website/profile page and shamelessly advertise for you. The help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! ~Nonowriting**


	10. First Steps

**OMG, I am sooooo late with this! Sorry! I had my phone and computer taken away, so I'm using a school computer and it's not good. Added to the teachers piling on homework, this massive time gap in chapter publishing has occured. SORRY! To let you know, while I do like reviews, I would love it if you signed in. Anonymous reviews are hard to reply to, as I don't want to take up space in the story to do it. I also need to say that the 'I still need quotes and shameless advertising if you provide them' offer is still up, and will be until the end of the story.

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**The awesome quote/poem providers:**

**Naru-fan (anonymous)

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**

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. ~ Albert Camus

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Chapter 10: First steps

A flash of silver that he couldn't see was the only warning Naruto got before the deadly Fuuma Shurikan impaled itself inside of his body, plunging directly into his heart. Naruto collapsed, looking for all the world like a corpse. His attacker walked out of the bushes and strolled over to Naruto's corpse. Tearing the Shurikan out of his back, Mizuki kicked the body over and placed his foot on Naruto's chest.

"Hmph. This is the 'deadly demon' that everyone's afraid of? Looks like a prissy little girly-boy to me." The silver-haired man sneered.

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Naruto wandered through the sewer he found himself in after the mysterious burst of pain in back and heart, following a sort of pull that he found directed him through the maze of pipes. He didn't know exactly where he was, but assumed that it was his mindscape, as he appeared not to feel pain, smell the sewer, or get wet from the water that was on the floor.

Soon enough, Naruto found himself in a large room, with iron bars on one side, held together by a slip of paper with the word 'seal' on it. As he stepped in the room, a loud, powerful voice stopped him.

"**Who dares to disturb me?"** It asked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb anyone. May I ask your name?" Naruto replied. He thought this was the Kyuubi, but it's always good to be polite.

The Kyuubi, on his part, was surprised. He assumed that his jailer, who's name he still didn't know, would be arrogent like all other humans.

"**Kyuubi no Kitsune." **He answered.

"Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto answered in return. "If I may ask Kyuubi-sama, where are we?" He asked for a confermation of his earlier thoughts.

Now Kyuubi was even more surprised. Not only was the kit polite to a point, he also looked uneffected by his emotions. It was rather obvious to him that the kit was slightly upset and betrayed by his answer, but his face remained blank and no body language was given to indicate he felt anything at his name. The Kyuubi was... intreaged.

**"We are in your mind, kitling. In front of you is the seal the Yondaime Hokage used to keep me prisoner inside your body."**

"I see." Was the only answer. _'Well, at least I know that I _can _come down here if need be.' _Naruto thought. _'Now the only problem is getting back...' _

**_'Well, that was... expected.' _**The Kyuubi thought. **_'He must have known about my existance inside of him if he's not freaking out right now._'**

"Kyuubi-sama?" Naruto asked, gaining the Kyuubi's attention once again.

**"Yes kitling?"**

"How do I return to the real world?"

**"... I don't know."** The Kyuubi said after a long pause. Naruto sighed after a long increadulus look.

"Then do you know why it hurt upon entering my mindscape?"

**"You were injured at the very moment you managed to make your way here." **Was the answer.

"How badly injured?" Naruto asked with trepidation.

**"It would have been fatal had you not had my chakra." **

"Do you know who injured me, Kyuubi-sama?" The boy asked.

**"I do not, only that you were injured. However, it is likely that they are still near your body." **The Kyuubi stated. After a long moment of silence, the boy finally spoke.

"Kyuubi-sama, can you see what I am doing or into my mind to any degree?"

**"Unfortunantly not, kitling."**

"I see..." After a long silence, the Kyuubi spoke again.

**"If I may, I would like to make a deal with you, kitling." **Naruto looked at the Kyuubi cautiously.

"Exactly what kind of deal would this be?"

**"I wish to exchange a portion of my power and advice." **Was the response.

"And at what price?" Naruto asked while thinking over the deal. _'It would be quite useful to have the Kyuubi itself lend me advice and power. The only problem is that with a great thing comes a great cost.'_

**"I wish to have access to your senses and be able to use your body every once in a while." **Naruto thought it over. _' That is not too steep a price. After all, as this is my mindscape, I can control it to put the Kyuubi back in it's cage if it decides that it wants to overstay his welcome. The only problem is _how _to let him access my senses. However...'_

"Only one stipulation"

**"Speak."**

"I control when you use my body and what you may do inside of it. One day a month and no destroying things that would give me trouble should be reasonable."

**"This is acceptable. However, in return, I wish for unlimited access to your senses." **Naruto smiled, a soft, small smile, but a smile non-the-less.

"Deal." After a pause, Naruto continued speaking.

"Unfortunately, Kyuubi-sama, I do not know how to grant you access to my senses or my body." The Kyuubi sighed.

**"And here is where my advice comes in. To allow me to have access to your senses, simply will the bars larger, it is your mind after all. To allow me to posses you, come inside the cage."**

Naruto nodded and shut his eyes for a moment. The bars on the cage grew larger. The Kyuubi sent out a tail to wrap around a certain pipe. After a moment, he spoke.

**"Well kitling, you should be happy to know that your assailant is indeed still with your body. Just kicked it, in fact."**

Naruto thought before speaking.

"If I am not presuming too much, Kyuubi-sama, might I request that you take care of the man?" At the Kyuubi's chuckle, Naruto knew that there would be one less demon hater in town afterwards.

**"You wouldn't be presuming at all, kitling. If you would?" **

Naruto nodded before walking towards the cage and through the bars. The Kyuubi laughed before wrapping Naruto up gently in his tails.

**"Ah, my first kill in eleven years..."

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Ack! this came out soooooo late! Please forgive me!**


	11. Trodding on a Worm

**Hey, I know this came out really really **_**really **_**late, but I just haven't been in a writing mood for a while. My aunt recently died from smoking, and with a mom that smokes… Not a good combination for a worried child. Anyway, I'm sorry that it is so late, but I'm mostly recovered, so I should get these out faster. ~Nonowriting

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If man makes himself a worm he must not complain when he is trodden on~ Muhammad Ali

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As Mizuki turned to leave, he heard a sound. Loud and evil laughter was being emitted from the figure in front of him. He turned to face the corpse once more; watching in disbelief as it pulled the fuma shurikan from it's back, the chuckles never ceasing.

"Wha-what?" Were his greatly articulate words as the boy stood. He backed away slightly.

"Ho-how –" He asked, but one look from evil red eyes silenced him immediately. His brain, which had been working overtime to figure out how Naruto could be alive after taking a direct hit to the heart, blanked. As he stepped back in terror, the only thing he thought was _'Demon!'_ Every fiber of his being screamed at him to run, _'Get Away Get Away Get Away!'_ But he couldn't move. He stood frozen in terror as the demon moved towards him, twirling the fuma shurikan in one hand. As it walked it let out a relieved sigh.

"**My first kill in eleven years…" **It said, an insane grin stretching it's cheeks, red eyes glinting in unholy pleasure.

Mizuki squealed like the pig he was, turning around to run and stopping short when he saw the demon facing him from behind as well. The same expression was on it's face, that evil grin and glinting, malavent eyes, but now it was covered in red chakra, cloaking the small frame and beginning to form tails.

Mizuki stumbled backwards, not turning away from the small form of the Kyuubi. It laughed again, a evil, chilling sound. The chuckles echoed eerily throughout the clearing.

"**I think that I should pay you back for your lovely gift. What do you think, Mizuki?" **The demon questioned. Mizuki made only a small whimper before a fuma shurikan, the same one that he himself had impaled Naruto with, hit him in the heart from behind. The last thing he heard was more of that evil laughter and the demon's voice speaking.

"**A coward's death for a cowardly fool."**

With these final words to the cooling corpse, the Kyuubi relinquished control back to Naruto.


	12. Finding God's Flax

**Woot! So am I good or what? I'm updating on an actual frequency! Ah Quotes~ I do so love them, and I rarely get the chance to use them, so I am abusing the hell out of my qoutes inventory to get the perfect one for each chapter. Well, that's all I really have to say beyond the fact that I wish people would review more often. Please do! It brightens my day like you wouldn't believe! ~nonowriting

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God gives no linen, but flax to spin ~Proverb

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Naruto walked up to the body lying on the ground and methodically began searching through it. He soon found a large scroll, a full ninja pack, filled with shurikans, kunais and paper bombs, and a large pack filled with clothes and such.

He also found a small scroll inside the backpack with a musical note on it. Curious, Naruto opened the note.

'Mizuki, your mission is the steal the forbidden scroll and flee the village. You will meet a sound shinobi at the usual meeting place. Do not fail me. –K'

'Hm, the forbidden scroll, huh? It doesn't surprise me that Mizuki is a traitor.' Naruto looked towards the large scroll lying on the ground, a small spark of curiosity lit in his eyes.

'The forbidden scroll, huh? Sounds interesting…' Suddenly he heard a twig crack far away.

"**Sounds like someone's coming, Kit." **The Kyuubi spoke, confirming his ability to hear through Naruto's ears.

Naruto nodded and fled the scene quietly, taking the forbidden scroll with him. Not five minutes later, Iruka appeared in the clearing.

"Mizuki!" he cried when he identified the corpse. His eyes swiftly landed on the mission scroll from the mysterious 'K'. It was scooped up and promptly read. Within seconds his eyes were scanning the clearing, looking for the forbidden scroll. Not seeing it, he cursed violently and left to see the Hokage.

Naruto quickly and quietly vaulted over the fence leading into training ground 44, the Forest of Death. He remained unseen while he leaped from branch to branch, dodging all the dangerous animals and plants. He finally reached his personal training grounds in the forest, an unused clearing with a large tree in the middle. He quickly placed the scroll in a large hollow near the top of the tree, disguising it with a weak genjutsu, the strongest he was able to put up. The scroll hidden as well as possible, he left to build up an alibi. Only one person saw him go, and her amber eyes narrowed as she wondered whether to tell the Hokage or not. Eventually she decided not to, knowing all the pain the Hokage has caused people. Knowing that pain intimately.

'Everything had gone well,' Naruto thought about yesterday. He had gone home quickly after hiding the scroll. Iruka had come home later than usual after guard duty. Naruto had not asked why, but Iruka had answered the question anyway. Pulling Naruto into his lap, he buried his face in Naruto's shoulder and whispered quietly, "Mizuki's dead."

He held a tense Naruto closer, feigning distress to get closer to tanned skin.

"He turned traitor to the village, giving intelligence to a new village, Sound. I found him lying dead on the ground, with a mission scroll telling him to steal the forbidden scroll. Now the scroll's gone and Mizuki's dead. We think that sound had him killed after he outlived his usefulness."

Iruka stopped speaking, but didn't let go of Naruto. Naruto didn't relax.

Finally, Naruto spoke quietly, asking what Iruka would like for dinner. Iruka answered just as quietly, and slowly let Naruto go. They ate quietly, Iruka asking mall, insignificant questions, Naruto responding with small, insignificant answers. Soon Iruka told him to go to bed, as tomorrow he would learn his team. Naruto nodded silently, and left for bed.

Now it was the tomorrow he had dreaded yesterday, and he would learn who he had to spend at least 3 months with, possibly more if their sensei didn't think they were ready for the chuunin exams.

All too soon, Iruka stood from his desk in the front of the room, paper in his hands, ready to announce the teams. Naruto was very nervous, he hoped that he wasn't placed with Sasuke, but knowing his luck and Sasuke's political connections, it was a slim chance. With each team announced, he grew more and more nervous. His face, however, remained a blank mask, as beautiful and lifeless as porcelain. Finally his own team was called.

"Team 7…


	13. Disgusting Metals

**Ok, guys, I know I'm horribly late with this one... Please don't kill me? I've got some of the other chapters written, so I shouldn't run out of things to post, but with Nano coming up... I'm trying to finish before then. I probably won't. Thanks so much to all you people who favorited and liked my story (and added me as a favorite author! So insanly happy about that!). Please forgive any spelling mistakes, I'm working on the fanfic site's edit/preview document directly. Without further adue, I present to you the story. ~Nonowriting**

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_All men of one metal, but not in one mold. ~ John Lyly_

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**Chapter 12: Disgusting Metals**

"Team 7: Nara Shikamaru, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto, your leader is Hatake Kakashi. Team 8..."

As Iruka carried on in the front of the room, Naruto went over his new team mates, going over all of the problems that were most likely to arise.

Nara Shikamaru was someone he didn't know too much about. He was lazy and slept constantly during class, but was smart enough to pass with exactly the lowest passing score. Naruto knew that he was very smart, but unlikely to approach him for anything due to his family telling him horror stories about 'the demon.' He probably wouldn't cause problems, but is definatly smart enough to be a threat. Naruto would keep an eye on him.

Uchiha Sasuke was a large, though expected, problem. The currently sharingon-less boy was one of his more prominent stalkers. Falling under the same category as Iruka, Sasuke seemed to make it his mission to give Naruto hell during the school hours. The only thing Naruto could do was try and ignore and and not be alone with him.

Hatake Kakashi, aka the one-eyed pedo. Naruto didn't know whether he would be a problem or if his strange attraction to him had siddipated with time. Even if it hadn't, the only thing to do was to not remain alone with him or the Uchiha.

Naruto sighed internally at his team, gaining a response from the fox.

**"You have very bad luck in team mates."**

_'Yes, but things aren't as bad as they could be. I could have a screaming fan-girl like Sakura instead of Shikamaru.' _He thought in reply.

**"Well Kit? You know you have a lot of time on your hands. Kakashi is always at least two hours late."**

_'If I could, I would like to work on my wind element training. But with Iruka and my team mates here, I can not leave without them following, and most likely asking uncomfortable questions.'_

**"Let them ask, none but Iruka know anything about how you achieved the power you have. While it may cause some problems with the Uchiha brat, you have a greater chance of surviving with Kakashi knowing that you are not defenseless." **Kyuubi reasoned.

_'You have a point. But I will show them later, in a way that makes them believe I think this is the normal level for genins.'_

**"Smart. But that still does not answer my question. What are you going to do while you wait for Kakashi?" **He questioned.

_'I was hoping that you knew of elemental manipulation.'_

**"Yes, I do know elemental manipulation, but only that which pertains to me. I know of demonic manipulations, techniques that require more chakra than a jounin will create in his entire life. I know of a great many powerful techniques, those that will move mountains, create great storms, and blast towns into oblivion. But I know of very little techniques that are useful to any human. It was never in my interests, such weak techniques."**

_'That is fine. I was not expecting for you to know many useful to me.'_ Naruto responded.

_'In answer to your question, however, I will read up on elemental manipulations. Thank you for answering my question.'_

**"No problem Kit. I myself will sleep. My little excursion into your body cost me some chakra. I will likely be sleeping for a while to recover it."**

_'I see. Sleep well.'_

The Kyuubi merely chuckled in response before settling. Naruto paid it no mind, and began reading.

Exactly two hours and three books later, Kakashi finally arrived. Opening the sliding door loudly, he took barely a second to examine his students and stated;

"My first impression is... I hate you."

There was no reaction to his less than kind words. Shikamaru stared at him with a sleepy gaze, having woken when the silence was disturbed by the sliding of the door. Sasuke continued to stare with a disgrundled scowl, and Naruto was as blank as ever.

"Meet me on the roof." Were Kakashi's parting words. Naruto, Sasuke and Shikamaru got up and walked up the stairs and out onto the roof. They settled on a bench, directly in front of Kakashi.

"Now, introduce yourselves. Likes, dislikes, dreams, hobbies, that sort of thing. Blondie, you first."

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I like very little and dislike much. My dreams are none of your business and my hobby is reading." Naruto's soft voice rang across the roof, offering no information not readily apparent.

A blink was all Kakashi gave him for his puzzling answer. Turning towards the next in line, Kakashi said, "Your turn, pinapple-head." And waited through the expected sigh.

"Troublesome...My name is Shikamaru. I like watching the clouds and sleeping. I dislike bossy people. My dream is to live a normal life, and my hobby is to play chess."

Kakashi gave nothing away as he turned with a nod to Shikamaru. "Now you, Emo."

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha," He spat at Kakashi, "I like almost nothing and I dislike most everything. My dream- No, my ambition is to kill a certain man and revive my clan. My hobby..." With a fleeting leer at Naruto he said, "nothing you need to know."

The glance gained Sasuke a sharp look from Kakashi, but Sasuke didn't notice. Neither noticed Shikamaru look between the two and Naruto with a hidden puzzled expression, as though he was working on an ecpecially hard riddle.

"Now that we all know each other's names, at least, we can get started. Meet at reaining ground 7 at 6 tommorow for the test."

There was no reaction to his statement of the test, everyone already knew.

In the silence they could hear the door to the roof open and the steady walk of their acadamy teacher.

"Naruto, I was hoping I'd catch you here. Are you almost finished?"

"Yes, sir." Naruto said quietly. "Kakashi-sensei just told us where to meet for our genin test."

"Would you mind if I brought Naruto home? We have to get some groceries, and I'd like to start before it gets dark." Iruka asked Kakashi.

"Not at all. He knows where to be tommorow, and I'll explain the specifics of the test then." Kakashi said. "In fact, you're all dismissed."

The three genin got up, Naruto going to Iruka. Iruka put an arm around his shoulder, draping it across smooth, tense skin. Kakashi caught the subtle glance Iruka gave him, the silent message of 'He's mine' enough to make the silver haired man back off. Unfortunatly, this message wasn't recieved by Sasuke, although Shikamaru caught it. With another leer towards Naruto, Sasuke said, "See you tommorow." and left.

On the way home, Iruka ruffled his hair and teased, "Be sure to impress them. Maybe you'll make chunin before genin."

Naruto nodded and said nothing under Iruka's heavy arm.


	14. The First Steps

**Ugh, this is the third time I've written this chapter! I didn't save before I quit last time, so I had to retype about half of it. Anyway, hope you leave a review, it really motivates me to type faster. (FYI, I print all of my reviews and hang them in front of my desk, so I feel inspired whenever I look at them!) Did you notice that Naruto says nothing at all during this chapter? I didn't really intend for that to happen. Actually the entire thing was supposed to be a couple of pages longer, but oh well. I'm intending for the next chapter to be a little longer. ~ Nonowriting**

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The seeds of the day are best planted in the first hour ~ Proverb

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**Chapter 13: The First Hour**

The day started out as any other. Iruka and Naruto woke at 6 and spent 30 minutes getting ready, Iruka placing a battle kimono, this one blue with swirls like whirlpools, over Naruto's tense body. After his sword was recieved, they traveled downstairs and had breakfast. At 7 Naruto left the house to go to the meeting place, training ground 7. He was technically late, but when Kakashi said 6, he really meant 8.

He arrived to see his teammates already there. Shikamaru was sleeping and Sasuke was brooding against the railing of the bridge. Naruto walked to the tree near Shikamaru and sat down, pulling out his book. Sasuke had apparently decided that it was too early in the morning to persue him. An hour later Kakashi arrived.

"You're late." Was the dull response of Shikamaru to the sudden cloud of smoke.

"Two hours late. Exactly." Sasuke ground out. Kakashi just smiled.

"Well, there was this old women who needed help crossing the street, and then-"

"You're lying." Shikamaru's voice cut in.

Kakashi's guilty laugh and posture said it all. Before they could start again Sasuke spoke.

"Can we just get this test done with?"

Kakashi nodded. "Of course!" He chirped.

"I have here two bells." He said while holding said bells up. "Your job is to get one of them using any means necessary. Whoever doesn't get a bell will be tied to the logs over there and forced to watch us eat their lunch, and will also be going back to the acadamy. Don't hesitate to try and kill." He said, his voice steadily growing more serious. They all got in ready positions, Naruto with a hand on his sword, Sasuke with hand signs and Shikamaru's body slightly tensed in it's position laying down, his left hand which held seeming nothing twitched.

"Ready, set, go!" At go, Sasuke jumped backwards into the trees, concealing himself between leafy boughs, while Naruto lept foreward, his sword flying out of its sheath. Kakashi blocked with a kunai, doging every slash of Naruto's sword. Sasuke watched carefully from the canopy, waiting for an opening in Kakashi's stance.

Finally, he found one, and flew down from the trees, fireball on his lips. Kakashi dodged, leaping backwards into the center of the field. Shikamaru, still lying down near the tree, smirked, and suddenly jerked his left hand up, activating the trap.

The field burst into flames, giving Naruto enough of a distraction to kawarami the bells with two acorns tied to strings. Grabbing Sasuke, he kawaramied to the tree Shikamaru laid under. The three of them waited until the flames went out, leaving only burnt grasses behind. Kakashi lept into the center of the clearing, the three genin following suit.

"So, which one of you three has the bells?" He asked, looking at his students carefully. Shikamaru had a small smirk on his face that told of a plan gone right, Sasuke tried to look uneffected but Kakashi could see the confusion in his eyes, Naruto looked as blank and expressionless as ever.

Only the wind was heard until Naruto moved, drawing the two bells from his obi. Before Kakashi could say anything, Naruto tossed a bell to each of his team mates, then looked expectantly at his new sensei. Kakashi sighed.

"You pass."

Shikamaru smiled, Sasuke smirked, and Naruto's blank mask had the tiniest uplift of his lips. "Since you've obviously figured out that the true purpose of this test was team work, I guess you can go. I'll see you tommorow, same time." Kakashi said, then dissappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving team 7 to slowly disperse home.


	15. Missions

**Lord, I've been late with this chapter… so sorry. But I'm alive, and I'm writing this mainly for XxXLexxibabeXxX, who added me to her favorite authors and requested that I finish this thing, and I was so happy I got off my butt and wrote it. Reviews do make a difference, I suppose. Thanks, Lexxi, you made my day. ~nonowriting**

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Chapter 15: Missions

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_When something like a soul becomes initialized and folded up like paper dolls and little notes, you can't expect a bit of hope ~ Through The Glass by Stone Sour_

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Two months.

That's how long these useless missions continued on, and they seemed to continue forever. Buy the Akimichi's groceries, walk the Inuzuka's dogs, babysit the Hyuuga's kids, bring in a shipment of bugs for the Aburame, every family that could afford genin help seemed to need odd jobs done, and even civilian families requested small chores done. The worst of all the missions was catching Tora; or "demon cat from hell," to hear his teammates describe it. The only one Tora seemed to like was Naruto, it seems demons tend to bond. It generally made catching Tora a little easier for team 7, so they tended to get this mission more often; as all that was required to finish it was to corral the fluffy cat to Naruto who could pick it up as easily as any other domesticated feline. This was exactly what mission the team was doing today, and with the cat purring away in Naruto's arms, the four walked back to Hokage tower.

Naruto's team was silent, so he lost himself in his thoughts of the last two months. His time outside of missions consisted of mostly of training. The first thing he learned was an ANBU technique: masking chakra. It took him a week to learn it, figuring it out from books he had found in the public library (after henging into a nondescript ninja). After he had master the technique with his own chakra, he started learning how to use Kyuubi's. Kyuubi himself was very helpful with this, detailing the properties of his chakra, such as its heat and violent nature. To conceal it required Naruto to use his own chakra as a cover for the energy radiating from Kyuubi's, and then conceal that by sending out small, barely existent strands of his chakra to cover the chakra by masking it. It was hard work, but worth it once he could guarantee his training was secret from all but the animals living around his training field inside the forest of death. He had picked a good spot, a small clearing between the trees with a river running beside it, full of vibrant fish that hopped out of the water and made good targets for his kunai and provided a small meal. In the middle was the tree with a genjutsu on it, the hidden scroll remaining hidden in its roots. Here Naruto trained not only with the Kyuubi's chakra, but also with his own. He learned the techniques the hidden scroll had to offer him, and grew in power each day. He couldn't say the same about his teammates, however. Shikamaru, he knew, trained his mind daily; challenging it with games of shougi and puzzles. Although his mind grew ever faster and he made a great strategist, his taijutsu needed work and his arsenal of jutsus outside of his families was small. Sasuke worked everyday to improve himself, but it was slow going with him. His pride too large to admit he needed help, he struggled through his family scrolls of jutsus they had invented or improved upon. He knew mainly fire jutsus and failed to learn many more. He was strong, Naruto would admit, but he wasn't strong enough. Kakashi was a worthless teacher, preferring to ignore Naruto and Shikamaru and focus only on training Sasuke. Naruto was fine with this, often training his mind by playing shougi with Shikamaru or learning theory for techniques from scrolls or Kyuubi. He had learned much within the two months of his career as a shinobi, despite the useless and boring jobs.

Naruto was shaken from his thoughts by their arrival at the Hokage tower. Turning the poor cat over to the daimyo's wife, he turned and looked at the unctuous man called the Hokage. The elderly man was still continuing his grandfatherly act, despite the fact that Naruto saw through the illusion. He greeted the team with a smile showing of tobacco stained teeth and a list of more chores.

"… Weeding the Nara's yard, painting the fence for the Ichiraku's, babysitting for-"

"Enough chores!" interrupted Sasuke as he slammed his hands down on the table. His pride had finally given in and he exploded at the Hokage. Iruka, at the same table, looked insulted.

"These are not chores! They are an important part of any ninja village, stimulating the economy and-"

"I don't care, they are far below my level!" Interrupted Sasuke once again. "I am an Uchiha and as such am far above babysitting some brats! I deserve better missions!"

Iruka made to speak again but a hand from the Hokage, who had yet to lose his grandfatherly smile, stopped him.

"I have just the thing, a c-rank mission." Sasuke smirked, his pride appeased. "That is, if Kakashi thinks you are ready for it…" He trailed off with a look towards team seven's sensei.

"I have the utmost confidence in my team." Kakashi said with a nod. The Hokage chuckled.

"Then it's settled. Bring in Tazuna, please." He said to a guard. As they waited the Hokage explained. "This mission is an escort mission to Wave. You will be escorting Tazuna, a bridge builder, and protecting him throughout the construction of his bridge. The only enemies you should encounter would be bandits or robbers."

The team nodded their understanding as Tazuna entered, bringing with him the smell of alcohol. The obviously drunk man looked at the team of genin then brushed them off with a wave of his hand.

"These are the brats who're gonna be protecting me? All I see's a emo, a lazy brat and a girly fag!" This brass and slurred statement annoyed only Sasuke, Shikamaru being too lazy to get worked up and Naruto to apathetic to care. Kakashi laughed it off and tried to appease the man.

"I am a jounin ninja and will be more than enough to handle whatever they cannot."

Tazuna looked at him and gave a gruff scoff, but said nothing else.

"We will be at the gate at seven ready to leave, Tazuna-san." Kakashi said, and upon Tazuna and the team's nod, kawarami'd out of the building. The genin also left and dispersed back to their homes, to met again in the morning.


End file.
